


secret admirer.

by fullofhearts



Series: cats ears and top hats [3]
Category: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, M/M, Mpreg, One Shot, Romance, Sexual Assault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-10-24 20:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17710925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullofhearts/pseuds/fullofhearts
Summary: Love is a strong feeling of affection.However, love itself can drive a person to do many things, and Harley is about to find out what love can do the moment he's not careful.





	secret admirer.

**Author's Note:**

> the tags may sound scary to all of you, but i promise there's nothing extreme about it. i put them there just to be safe
> 
> and beware for some angst in here, bc i love hurting my otp :)

Harley was busy washing the dishes, when he felt a dull pain coming from his abdomen. He stopped midway to place a hand over his midsection, and he couldn't help but smile at the thought of his baby inside. It had been a few weeks since he found out that he was pregnant. It would sometimes leave him exhausted, but, as long as he doesn't overwork himself, he should be all right.

 

Because of his current state, Harith would always disapprove whenever he finds him doing any of the house chores. But he couldn't help himself. He felt useless staying at home and not do anything. So, the least he could do was help Harith out by completing some of the chores.

 

He was slightly surprised when a pair of hands that do not belong to him wrap around his stomach. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was. It was obvious that it was Harith. He felt the leonin place his chin above his head, and his lips twitched upwards when he heard a soft hum coming from the mage behind him.

 

"Harley," Harith murmured, gently rubbing his stomach, "How many times do I have to tell you not to do anything and just rest? You're going to be really tired."

 

Harley rolled his eyes and placed the wet dishes onto the dish rack. "I'm not tired right now, Harith." He heard the leonin letting out a sound that hinted his disapproval, but he simply ignored it. "Anyway, what do you want to eat tonight? Since you'll be back late, I thought of cooking something special for you."

 

"Aww, that's so sweet of you," Harith teased, and Harley couldn't help but scoff. Though, his cheeks felt warm. The leonin added, "You don't have to cook for me tonight, you know. I can eat whatever is left in the fridge. I don't want you to stay up too late waiting for me."

 

Harley shook his head. "You don't have to worry, I'll be fine. I'll just have a few hours of sleep in the day. Now, what do you want?"

 

Harith moved to stand in front of him. Right now, he was looking at him with anticipation. "Anything?"

 

"If it's nothing too complicated, then yes, anything."

 

A wide grin took over the leonin's lips, and Harley watched as his tail swayed vigorously behind him. "Can you cook those beef stroganoff you made for me once?"

 

Harley remembered the first time he did the recipe. Harith was craving for some pasta, so he decided to search for some pasta recipes in cook books. He found the recipe to be quite simple, and the picture made it look delicious enough, so he tried making it. He recollected Harith's face when he first tried it. His eyes twinkled in awe, and he ended up eating three whole plates of those. Seeing how much the leonin had enjoyed the food, he ended up writing down the recipe so that he could make it again. It was a good thing his actions proved to be fruitful.

 

Harley smiled at the leonin's request. "Sure."

 

He chuckled when Harith gasped in shock. He knew that he rarely entertains the leonin, but the mage didn't have to act like he would ignore him _all_ the time. However, he didn't expect for Harith to lean closer and give him a kiss on the cheek. He knew that it was a way of him saying thank you, but it would always leave his cheeks red, and, right now, he could feel his face heating up from embarrassment.

 

"This is why I love you," Harith said, spinning around before facing him again. His grin grew wider, and, before Harley could stop him, his hands had already grabbed his cheeks, pulling them. "You're the best spouse I could ever ask for, and it's a bonus that you're so _cute_ –"

 

A nerve popped through his temple as the leonin continued pulling at his cheeks. Sometimes, the mage really knows how to make his mood swing, and he didn't even need the pregnancy for it.

 

➳

 

Harley didn't realise when he had dozed off while watching TV. He checked the time and found the clock showing five in the evening. Harith would be back in a few more hours, and, that meant, he had more than enough time to prepare the pasta. But, since he didn't want to rush, he decided that it would be better if he prepared it now.

 

He could feel his back aching when he stood up, but, because he had experienced it so many times, he had learned to ignore it. He slowly approached the kitchen and started searching for some pasta in the cabinets.

 

It was when he realised, they had run out of pasta.

 

He let out a sigh and looked at his cooking. Everything was done, except for the pasta. He threw a glance at the clock and considered whether or not he should wait for Harith to get back. But if he waits for Harith, then, that meant, the pasta won't be ready when the leonin gets back, and they wouldn't be able to eat dinner until Harith buys them. Thinking about it, he realised that it would cause Harith too much trouble. Maybe he should just head out and buy it himself?

 

But Harith's words echoed in his head; telling him to _not_ go anywhere whenever he wasn't around. He knew that there was a reason why Harith had set that rule, but this was just a short trip to the convenience store _inside_ the academy. It wasn't as if the store was located outside. If he could just go over there and head right back, Harith wouldn't even realise that he was gone.

 

Nonetheless, he decided to leave a note just in case Harith finished earlier than expected. He knew that the mage would be annoyed if he found out he had went out, but at least he could find him. He pasted the note onto the fridge and contemplated whether or not he should change his clothes. He was only wearing a plain, white t-shirt with shorts that reached his knees. If anyone sees him, they were definitely going to question his choice of attire, because he was usually the type to dress up formally. For this occasion, however, he found the task of changing clothes a little too tiring, especially since he needed to head upstairs to grab his magician clothes. So, he decided to just head out with whatever he was currently wearing.

 

 _It's not like it's going to take a long time. People probably won't even see me_ , he thought.

 

He exited his home and checked on his neighbour, Lolita and Nana. When he found the house empty, he decided to just go to the store alone. He thought that Harith would like it better if someone was following him, but, since his neighbours weren't at home, it seemed that he would just have to go there by himself.

 

He shivered a little the moment he entered the academy building. He had forgotten how cold the air conditioners could be when it wasn't a hot day, and, now, he was starting to regret not changing his clothes. Though, it wasn't as if he could head back now, so he continued walking until he reached the convenience store.

 

The cashier was a woman, who had seen him enter the store a few times. He noticed her looking surprised at him—probably because of the way he dressed—but she didn't make a comment about it. She gave him a friendly smile in greeting, and he returned it with a nod of acknowledgement. He searched around the store and found packets of pasta. He grabbed three and went to the cashier to pay for them.

 

When he exited the store, he was surprised by how empty the academy was at the moment. There wasn't even anyone at the cafeteria. He looked at the clock and found it to be the time where everyone would be out at the city. Usually, this was the time when everybody's training ends—unless if you're an S-Class—and they would always head over to the city to go shopping or hang out.

 

He was about to start his journey back home, when he heard someone calling his name. "Harley!"

 

The voice sounded familiar. He turned around and found a mascular man approaching him. After staring at him for a while, he realised that it was one of the E-Class fighters, Mason. He had seen him a few times in the academy, but never had any proper interaction with him because—there was just something odd about the man. Maybe it was with the way the man would look at him. The man may think he didn't notice, but he would always catch him staring at him in the distance whenever he was with Harith.

 

"What is it?" Harley asked, almost unkindly. Right now, he just wanted to get back home. The trip from his house to the convenience store was enough to leave him slightly tired, and it was putting him in a bad mood. "I'm actually in a hurry right now, so you better make it quick."

 

The man gave him a genuine smile, which, for some weird reason, Harley found it annoying. Even if he was looking at him innocently, it just felt like the man had other intentions. The man responded, "Nothing. I was just wondering... where is Harith?"

 

Harley's face turned solemn. He had no idea where this was going. Nonetheless, he answered, "He's out training."

 

"You went out alone?"

 

"So what if I did?" Harley asked, his tone harsh. He was growing tired with standing, and it wasn't helping that his head suddenly felt light. He turned around. "If there isn't anything important, then I'm leaving–"

 

He placed a hand over his head when a wave of nausea hit him, and he suddenly had to support himself by leaning against a wall. He inwardly cursed at himself for the sudden dizziness he was feeling, because now was _not_ the time to vomit.

 

"Harley, are you okay?" Mason tried to help him by holding him, but he batted his hand away before he could even touch him. The man frowned. "Harley, I'm just trying to help you."

 

"I'm fine," Harley said, his voice breathless. He took in a few deep breaths and blinked rapidly when his vision was distorting. "I just need to sit down for a while."

 

"Come on, there's a seat nearby. I'll bring you to it." Mason supported him with his arm and led him to a room nearby. The moment Harley spotted a bench, he slumped heavily against it and leaned his head back against the wall. The man asked, "Feeling better?"

 

Harley gave a small nod and closed his eyes. He could feel the bile climbing up his throat, but he forced it down. At some point, he didn't realise when he had clutched the plastic with the pasta he had bought. He could tell that he was on the brink of either passing out of throwing up, but he couldn't afford to do any of those. At least, not until he gets back. Because, he knew, once he does it, he won't have enough strength to get up for a while. So he waited for a few minutes until the nauseous feeling disappeared. Once he felt like he was okay, only then he opened his eyes.

 

He now realised that they were in an abandoned training room. It used to be where the supports would train, but they had moved to the second floor when more supports joined the academy. The room wasn't totally abandoned, since some heroes still used it to practice their skills in private, so the place still maintained even though it hasn't been used for weeks now.

 

Harley glanced to his side and found Mason staring at him with that same, weird emotion in his eyes. He wasn't sure what that emotion was, but one thing he _does_ know was that, the emotion was definitely not concerned.

 

He suddenly had a bad feeling if he stayed longer, so he decided to stand up and leave. He had no idea why, but his heart was suddenly beating faster, as if sensing danger.

 

"Thanks for helping me just now," he said, giving the man a curt nod. "I have to go now–"

 

"Wait!"

 

Harley stopped when the man suddenly grabbed his hand. His eyes widened, and he whirled around to ask what the man think he was doing. It was when he finally understood what the man was feeling. Because, right now, the man's eyes were glazed with _that_ emotion as he stared at his fingers.

 

And _that_ emotion was lust.

 

Before he could even say anything, the man had spoken first, "So beautiful."

 

Harley immediately retracted his hand the moment the man said those words. He could feel his cheeks heat up. Not because of embarrassment, but due to anger. How dare this man uttered those words when he knew that he was married to Harith. No, how _dare_ he showed him his lust when he knew he was pregnant with _Harith's_ child.

 

Mason seemed to realise his mistake, because his eyes widened as he pulled his hand away. "Harley, I–"

 

"Leave me alone, Mason," Harley snapped, spinning over his heel. He motioned towards the door. "Don't ever show your face to me again–"

 

He was halted again when the man grabbed his shoulder now, and it was the last straw before he sent his fist flying at the man's jaw. He didn't care how hard he had hit him, or if the man had helped him. His patience had run out, and, he swore to god, if he doesn't get back home now, he was going to–

 

Mason groaned when he punched him, and now seemed like the right time to flee from him. Just as Harley was about to make a run for it, the man wrapped his arms around his waist, restraining him, and shoved him to a wall. His head collided with it, and his vision went momentarily black, before he realised that he was now lying on the ground, his body aching at various places.

 

"You little–" Mason clutched his nose, which Harley could see had turned red. "I helped you, and this is how you repay me?"

 

Harley tried to get up, but he didn't have to, because Mason was now pulling him up by grabbing at his hair and dragging him. His knees scraped against the tiled flooring, and he screamed at the pain that emitted from his scalp. His head and knees hurt, and he wanted it so badly for the pain to stop. It was bad enough that he already felt weak due to his energy being sucked by the baby.

 

The man forced him back to the ground when he released him. When Harley looked up, he found the man looking down at him with fury burning in his eyes. "You know, I've always wondered why that cat could have you," Mason said with a sneer, and Harley had to choke back a sob when his stomach decided to clench at this very moment. "What made me so different from him? I'm strong, I also have the looks, and I can provide for you. But why, of all people, must you choose _him_? He's just some other mage who needs to rely on his magic for power. Without his magic, he's _nothing_."

 

Not only was this man insulting Harith, but this man was full of himself. Harley knew that this man's strength could never be compared with Harith. Sure, Harith was a mage, but that didn't mean he couldn't land a solid punch in the face. And Harley would've rolled his eyes if his stomach wasn't being painful right now. What made the man think he looked just as good as Harith? Had he never looked into a mirror before?

 

"I've always had my eyes on you, you know," Mason continued, crouching to look at him. Harley averted his gaze and decided to curl himself up in order to ease the pain coming his stomach. "I've always looked at you, but you never once looked at my way. All you see is just that stupid _cat_."

 

"It's because you're not worth looking at," Harley spat bravely, despite the current circumstances. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked at the man with a heated gaze. "Do you really think you're as good as Harith? _Please_. Go to hell."

 

He knew that he was asking for trouble when he said it. He knew that he couldn't fight against the man if they were going to fight. Yet, he couldn't help but say it anyway because he was _not_ going to sit there and hear as the man continue to throw insults at Harith. As expected, his statement angered the man further, and he squeezed his eyes shut when the man raised his hand to attack him.

 

He waited for a slap or a hard punch, but none of that came. When he slowly opened his eyes, he found the man eyeing him, and he realised that the man was now looking at him with those lust-filled eyes again. His eyes widened in panic, and he tried to get away from the man, but the man held him down by holding his arm. The anxiety he had grew tenfold, and he could only guess what the man's intentions were when he licked his lips, before a sinister smile appeared on his face.

 

"You have no idea how much I've longed for you," Mason said, his voice breathy. A finger idly traced against his shin, and Harley couldn't help but flinch at his touch. "And to see you wearing something like this..."

 

He pulled his arm away from the man's grasp and struggled to get up, but with the man leaning against him, he couldn't possibly fight against the man's weight. Mason was bigger and heavier than him. And with the baby inside his stomach, constantly sucking his energy, it left him with no strength to get away from the man.

 

"Come on, I'll show you I'm better than him," Mason said, shifting into a sitting position behind him. He leaned closer to somewhat cuddle him. One hand was wrapped around his stomach, while the other was forcefully tilting his head to the side so that he could look at him over his shoulder. He watched as the man eyed his lips, before he said, "Ah, I've always wanted to claim those lips of yours."

 

"Let go of me!" Harley shouted, fighting against the man's hold. He hated how the man was effortlessly holding him in place, while his own strength was quickly draining. "Stop it! I'm already married, Mason! _Let go_!"

 

The man merely chuckled at his fruitless attempts and leaned closer to him. Harley tried to look away so that the man couldn't kiss him, but with the man cupping his chin, it was hard to pull away from him. He could feel the tears gathering at his eyes as the man's face came closer to him, and they rolled freely down his cheeks when the man pressed his lips against his.

 

This wasn't Harith.

 

This was _not_ Harith.

 

If anyone wanted to kiss him, it should be Harith, and only him. No one else should be doing this with him. This... this was betraying the leonin, and he could only imagine how furious the mage would be if he found out that he had kissed another man.

 

If there was a time where Harley hated himself, it was right now. How could he let someone other than Harith kiss him? How did he let this happen anyway? All he wanted was to make Harith happy, but he ended up betraying him instead. If only he didn't went out like he was supposed to. If only he had listened to the leonin, maybe this wouldn't have happened. This was all his fault.

 

He didn't realise when Mason had slipped his hand under his shirt, caressing his stomach. He wanted to push the man's hand off him, but with his strength waning, he could only do much as touch the man's hand. Mason, on the other hand, misinterpreted his gesture as a sign that he wanted more, so he grabbed his hand and placed a kiss onto his wrist. Harley felt like puking when the man gave him a smile, thinking that he was enjoying this.

 

"I told you I'm better than that cat," Mason purred, tracing circles over his stomach. "I can prove you more by–"

 

All of a sudden, the door burst open, and standing there was Ruby, who had her eyes narrowed the moment she saw them. Harley watched as the fighter wasted no time to approach them before swinging her scythe in front of them. It stopped right at Mason's face, its tip touching his nose. Her voice was dangerously low when she said, "You sick bastard."

 

The tip of her scythe poked at the man's nose, and Mason scrambled away to keep some distance from the threat right in front of him. The Red Riding Hood sent a glower at the man before looking at him. She knelt on one knee and frowned. "Hey, you okay?"

 

Harley used the heel of his hand to wipe the tear stains on his cheeks, before he gave her a nod. He then heard footsteps and found Nana and Harith arriving at the room. Nana seemed to be telling Harith something, with Ruby suddenly joining the conversation, and Harley watched as the leonin's brows furrowed, followed by a deep frown on his lips. The next thing he knew, Harith looked furious and was now marching towards Mason, who was trying his best to maintain a safe distance from the leonin.

 

"What did you do to him?" Harith asked, his voice eerily calm. "Tell me."

 

Mason was now sweating as the leonin locked his eyes onto him. His response was filled with stuttering when he said, "I-I didn't do anything! Harley just approached me and started–"

 

The man gasped when Harith grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, bringing his face closer towards him. Now that Harley was seeing this, he realised that Harith was just as tall as the man. Though, his frame was more slender compared to Mason's. But that still didn't make him look less intimidating.

 

The leonin moved his mouth towards the man's ear, and Harley could hear him whisper, " _Bullshit_."

 

All of a sudden, there was a blinding light, and Harley watched as the wall of the academy was destroyed within seconds the moment Harith used his power at the man. Mason, who ended up in another room, tried to get up, but he didn't have enough time to do so when Harith grabbed him and forced him to look at him in the eye.

 

"For even _thinking_ about touching what belongs to me," Harith begun, his lips curled into a frightening smile, "You _will_ pay the price."

 

It was the first time Harley had seen Harith so angry, and, for the first time in his life, he was terrified of the leonin.

 

➳

 

Harley was silent the whole time Harith was carrying him. Right now, he was in the leonin's arms with his head lowered. On normal days, he would at least protest if Harith offered to carry him. But when he heard the leonin's monotone voice, telling him that they should go home, he couldn't help but just allow the mage to lift him in his arms and bring him back home without any complaints.

 

The scene he had witnessed not too long ago was still fresh in his mind. He saw what Harith had done to Mason. The man had ended up all bloody, broken and bruised. Harley knew that the man deserved it, but he couldn't help but still feel pity towards the man. Maybe because Harith didn't need to use his magic to that extent to beat him? Though, he was smart enough not to say that out loud, especially when he could feel Harith's wrath radiating around him.

 

They both entered their house, and Harith put him down on the couch non too gently. He winced when Harith unexpectedly pressed his thumb against the side of his forehead, and only now he realised that he had earned a bruise there after being slammed at the wall. The leonin didn't say anything about it though and went into the kitchen. When he came back, he gave him a pack of ice to place it on top of his head.

 

Harley accepted the pack of ice wordlessly and placed it where the bruise was at. All of a sudden, he could feel Harith's eyes locked onto him. Gathering enough courage, he forced himself to look up and found himself staring at the leonin, who had an empty look on his face. Immediately, he averted his gaze and lowered his head again. He couldn't bear to face that impassive look right now.

 

He swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to speak to Harith about what had happened. The leonin may not question about it, but he knew that he was waiting for an explanation. With his voice wavering, he explained, "So I was trying to cook the beef stroganoff you wanted, but then I found out that we ran out of pasta. So I... I decided to buy some."

 

Harith didn't say anything. He just continued to look at him with that same, blank look. Harley figured that it was a sign for him to keep going.

 

"That was when Mason came and..." Harley bit his lip and tried his best to hold back the tears that prickled at his eyes. "He started _touching_ me, but... but he didn't do anything more than that. At least, thanks to Ruby."

 

He waited for a yell, a scolding or— _something_. But when none of that came from the leonin, he knew that he had messed up. How did things end up this way? He just wanted to cook something nice for Harith. But, of course, he had to be the stupid rebel he was and disobeyed a simple instruction to not go outside. Now, he had earned the leonin's anger instead.

 

He could feel himself trembling, and the tears caused his vision to blur. His voice was barely above a whisper when he said, "I'm sorry."

 

Nothing was worse than Harith's silence. He would take a scolding or maybe even a hit—though, Harith had never once raised his hand at him. He just wanted the leonin to say something, _anything_. The silence he was experiencing right now was almost too much to bear, and he would do anything right now to break it.

 

"It was a simple instruction, Harley," Harith said, finally breaking the tensed silence. He looked angry, but his eyes were tired and so does his voice. " _Don't go anywhere outside of the house_ , that was the rule."

 

Harley used his free hand to clench his fist. He could feel the tears running down his cheeks again, and he blamed these stupid hormones for making him emotional. He answered, "I know."

 

"Then?"

 

"I just... I didn't want to trouble you."

 

"So this isn't troubling?"

 

Harley blinked back the fresh new tears and just kept his head bowed. He really was stupid to think that nothing wouldn't happen during his short trip. Not only was he a burden to Harith whenever he craves for something or when he becomes nauseous, but he had thrown himself into danger and had caused more trouble for him.

 

He heard the leonin sigh. "Harley, look at me." He sniffed and slowly looked up to meet Harith in the eye. The leonin's face had softened, but his voice still sounded flat. "Do you have any idea how much I panicked when Nana came to me, telling me that she heard you screaming in that abandoned training room?"

 

So Nana was the one who heard. If she hadn't...

 

"She told me that Ruby had went to check on what was happening. She would've checked it herself, but she wasn't brave enough to go in there alone. She told Ruby to wait for me, but Ruby insisted on checking you anyway." Harith interlocked his hands and just stared at it. Harley noticed that his ears were drooping a little. "If she hadn't checked what was happening and had waited for me, what do you think Mason would have done to you?"

 

Probably something much, much worse, and he wouldn't have been able to stop it. If only this had happened while he wasn't pregnant, this wouldn't have been a problem. Because of this pregnancy thing, he couldn't use most of his magic, and that left him in a very weak state.

 

Harley pressed the ice a little harder over his forehead due to frustration. He had caused Harith to worry, panic and become distracted during his training. What kind of spouse was he?

 

"I'm sorry," he said, wiping the tears with his free hand. "I'm so, so sorry for troubling you again."

 

_You're such an idiot._

 

_A failure._

 

_You don't deserve Harith._

 

_Haven't you troubled him enough?_

 

_Why can't you just listen to him?_

 

His thoughts were running wild in his head, to the point where he didn't hear when Harith muttered, "It's okay, Harley."

 

➳

 

Harith stared at the empty side of the bed next to him. He had waited for Harley to come up for about half an hour now, but there was still no sign of the mage. At first, he had wanted to wait for Harley to come up with him, but the mage had insisted he should head up first. Of course, he had disapproved with the idea of Harley climbing up the stairs without his help, but something about the mage's tone hinted that he needed some alone time, and he decided to respect his wish by heading to bed first.

 

He remembered the incident that happened a few hours ago. Words couldn't express how horrified he was when Nana came to him and said that Harley was in trouble. It was the main reason why he wasted no time and headed to the room Nana had told him about. And when he opened those doors, rage immediately blinded him when Ruby told him what Mason had been doing to the mage. He was so furious, he ended up using his power until he had almost killed the man. He would've, but the other heroes had stopped him before he could—which was truly a shame.

 

He remembered how upset Harley looked when he apologised to him. He knew that he was being a little too harsh, but he couldn't help himself. Harley had no idea how much trouble he had put himself into when he did that. If he had arrived a minute later, would worse events take place than the ones that had already happened?

 

He glanced at the clock next to him and decided that he should check on Harley. He knew that the mage needed some alone time, but he had to make sure he was okay. He would just check him out and hurry back to their bed. It wouldn't call as disturbing his time alone. Quietly, he got off the bed and went to the stairs to see the mage.

 

He was about to head downstairs, when he heard a sniffle, followed by muffled sobs. His ears drooped at the sound, because that meant Harley was crying again. He was about to head downstairs to cheer him up, but another voice made him stay at where he was standing.

 

"I'm so stupid." A sniff, and the sound of Harley blowing his nose. "If only I didn't–"

 

"Hey, I'm sure he isn't mad at you anymore."

 

"He probably hates me right now." Harith's eyes widened at Harley's words. How could he think like that? He might be angry, yes. But he would _never_ hate him. "I mean, I caused him trouble again. I'm such an idiot."

 

"Harley, you were just trying to make him happy, and that's sweet of you," Lolita spoke, her voice soft. "So _maybe_ it was a little stupid of you to head out without anybody accompanying you, but then again, who knew a hero from _this_ academy would try to hurt you?"

 

It was silent for a while. Then, Harith heard the mage whisper, "I don't deserve him, Lolita."

 

Harith froze at Harley's words. What the hell was he saying?

 

Lolita responded with the exact same thing he was thinking, "What are you saying, Harley?"

 

"You heard me. Harith deserves someone better. Someone stronger, someone who actually listens to him, someone who–"

 

"Stop." Harith couldn't help but nod in agreement with Lolita's statement. He was secretly glad that the Steel Elf was responding like how he wanted. If not, he would be marching down right now and say it to the mage's face himself. "I don't want to hear you say anything like that again. Heck, I bet _Harith_ doesn't want to hear you say that." He heard the sound of the chairs creaking, as if Lolita was standing up. "Harley, you're not thinking straight at the moment. I can tell that you're really tired. How about I help you upstairs–"

 

Harith was about to run back to their bedroom, when he heard Lolita gasp. He paused and strained his hearing to know what was the cause of Lolita's shock.

 

"Harley! Why is your wrist red?"

 

"Lolita, it's nothing–"

 

Harith crept closer to the stair railing and focused on his senses. What was going on?

 

"Did... did you do this to yourself?!"

 

"I _had_ to!"

 

Harley was shouting right now, and Harith could immediately sense the distress he was facing. That was _not_ good. He thought Harley had calmed down, but it was obvious he hadn't. How did he not notice that the mage was still not okay?

 

Harley continued, "Mason placed his... his lips _there_ and it just felt dirty and–"

 

"I know that! But you didn't have to– oh my god. Did you rub it that hard? Harley, your skin is peeling because of it."

 

"That's good, right? Because that means the evidence of him doing that is gone."

 

"Harley–"

 

Harith didn't know when he had stood up, but he was now motioning to where the two of them were standing. Lolita had opened her mouth to say something to the mage, but immediately shut it when she saw him approaching. He ignored her wide-eye expression and faced Harley, who looked just as shocked as the Steel Elf.

 

"Let me see it," Harith said, his eyes onto the arm Harley was currently clutching. Noticing how the mage was hesitating, he said, "Don't make me say it twice, Harley."

 

Slowly, Harley showed him his wrist, and Harith couldn't help but grimace at how the skin looked. It looked like Harley had decided to rub his skin raw. He glanced at the mage and found his eyes downcast. This was awful. He knew that Mason had pressed his lips there, but he would've preferred more if the man's lips were chopped off instead of Harley rubbing his skin like that. This showed that Harley didn't care about hurting himself, and he didn't like it one bit.

 

He soon came to a realisation that Harley was emotionally unstable right now. Judging by how he had yelled at Lolita and had hurt himself by doing this, he could only guess that the mage was suffering at the moment. It wasn't helping that he had given Harley the silent treatment earlier. He should've known not to go too far, especially while Harley was carrying.

 

If Lesley is back after her mission and sees this, he was _so_ going to get killed by her.

 

"Why would you do something like this, Harley?" Harith asked, frowning. Carefully, he inspected the mage's wrist by tilting it. "You hurt yourself. Why?"

 

All of a sudden, Harley looked at him, tearful, and Harith knew that the mage was going to burst into tears again. But what made it more worrisome was when Harley was starting to breathe heavily.

 

"Hey, calm down," Harith said, his eyes widening. He took a step forward, but Harley moved by taking a step back. "Harley?"

 

"I'm sorry," Harley said, wiping his face. Harith was instantly filled with remorse when he found the mage trying his best to keep the tears from falling. "I'm sorry for–"

 

Harith was quick to close the distance and throw his arms around the mage. He felt Harley stiffen under his embrace before his body started shaking. He pulled the mage closer to him as the mage started to weep. This was all his fault. He should've remembered that Harley was currently dealing with this whole pregnancy thing. He shouldn't have ignored the mage even after what the mage had done. Sure, Harley could give him a heart attack sometimes with his ways, but he knew that the mage was just trying his best.

 

"Harley, I'm so sorry," Harith said, his voice quiet. He felt the mage nod as more sniffs were audible. "I know you were just trying to cook dinner for us, and I thank you for that. But I was just really worried about you. You have to remember that you're pregnant. If anything happens to you while I'm not there, you cannot fight on your own."

 

"I was just trying to buy some pasta, b-but then Mason came and–"

 

"I know," Harith said, pulling away to look at the mage. Harley's nose were red and his eyes were swollen from crying, and Harith couldn't help but feel bad that he was the cause of it. What kind of spouse was he? "It's not your fault, Harley. I don't blame you at all. I'm just mad that Mason took advantage of your situation, that's all."

 

Lolita, who had been silent all this time, walked over to Harley to hand him a box of tissues. Harith gave the elf a thankful nod, and Harley smiled faintly at her as he pulled a tissue. He blew his nose before looking at him. He was fidgeting anxiously when he said, "So... y-you're not mad?"

 

Harith shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "Not at you, Harley."

 

The mage let out a sigh of relief and nodded. He watched as the corner of Harley's lips twitched slightly upwards, and he knew that he had successfully cheered up the mage. The two of them stared at each other for a while, before realising that things has fallen into an awkward silence. Harith wanted to break the silence by saying something, but he had no idea what to say.

 

Thankfully, Lolita was the one who broke the silence when she cleared her throat. Honestly, Harith had forgotten that she was still standing there. But thank goodness she was there to make things slightly less awkward. "So, uh, it's getting pretty late and–" She pretended to yawn, before she continued, "I think it's time for me to head home."

 

"Thanks for coming over, Lolita," Harley said, before his cheeks flushed a little. "And I'm sorry that you had to hear me ramble just now."

 

"Hey, what are friends for?" Lolita asked, motioning towards the door. She then glanced at Harith, and her face turned serious. "You better take care of him, Harith. I don't want to hear him crying again."

 

Harith gave the elf a miniscule smile. "I will, Lolita."

 

The Steel Elf gave them both one last nod before walking to her house, which was the house next to them. Once the elf had left, Harith closed the front door and turned around to face Harley. He was about to say something to the mage when, all of a sudden, Harley grimaced, and Harith couldn't help but feel concerned when he let out a shaky breath before placing a hand behind his back.

 

"Harley?" Harith called, earning a glance from the mage. "Are you all right?"

 

Harley merely shook his head. "It's nothing. My back just hurts a little," Harley said, rubbing his back. "It had been aching a few days ago, but–"

 

"What?" Harith asked, his eyes widening. " _A few days ago_? Why you didn't say anything?"

 

"I didn't want to bother you," Harley muttered, straightening his back. "Besides, your training time keeps getting extended, so I didn't think it would be worth telling you."

 

Harith frowned. Sometimes, he couldn't help but feel like he was training too much, to the point where Harley wouldn't tell him if he needed something. Nowadays, he noticed that Harley barely asks him for anything. It had been a while since he told him he craved for something, but he could tell that Harley must be wanting _something_. He also noticed that most of the house chores were done by him even though he had told him not to do any of them.

 

Harley tries so hard to make this life easier, Harith couldn't help but feel guilty that he wasn't giving him the attention he deserved. It was no wonder the mage had went out alone to buy some pasta. Logically, nothing should be able to happen since he was still inside the academy grounds. But who knew that a _hero_ would try to make a move like that on him?

 

"I'm sorry," Harith said, his ears drooping. Harley looked at him with genuine confusion, not understanding why he was apologising. He explained, "I'm sorry that I spend most of my time in training and fail to pay attention to you."

 

Harley gave him a small, reassuring smile. "It's okay, Harith. I'm fine doing things on my own."

 

"Well, it's not fine with me," Harith said, frowning. "Everyday, you stay in this house alone from morning to night. You do the chores even though you're constantly tired, and, I noticed, now you won't tell me what kind of food you crave at the moment. Harley, I _know_ that Lolita and Nana often visit you to help you after you vomit." He watched as the mage flinched. Yes, he had heard about that when he heard the two elves talking. Harley must've told them not to tell him about it, because they had never bothered telling him about their visits. "It shows, Harley. It shows how much I fail to give you the attention you really need."

 

Harley wasn't smiling anymore. Instead, he was looking at him with a sober look. His voice was quiet when he said, "I don't mind, Harith. It has only been a few weeks since I'm pregnant. I can do some of the things myself. I mean, you're earning money for both of us, while I can't help you with that anymore. The least I could do is help you by doing some chores."

 

"Harley, I heard that you nearly fainted one time for overworking yourself."

 

Harley froze. Harith had heard about that through Angela, who had overheard Lolita and Nana talking. He was horrified when he heard the news, but when he came back that evening to ask about it, Harley had distracted him by telling him that they ran out of groceries, and it had never reoccured to him to talk about it again. At least, not until now. But seeing how Harley was tensed right now, he could tell that the news he heard was true.

 

"Okay, so I _may_ have forced myself to complete everything before you get back," Harley admitted, his head hung low. "But that was because you've been coming back home late for a few days in a row. You look really tired, so I couldn't help but–"

 

"That's not the point, Harley. You're the one pregnant. I already told you, you don't have to do anything but rest. It's okay if I'm tired, because I'm not the one getting my magic constantly sucked. What do you think would happen to the baby if you'd passed out while you were standing up, and no one was there to help you?"

 

Harley's eyes widened. "That's..."

 

"Dangerous," Harith finished and sighed. He gazed at the mage for a while, who was now thinking deeply, and placed a hand over his shoulder. "Rest, all right? You get weaker day by day, and I'm scared that the worst might happen to you one day. So just let me handle everything. The Headmaster had promised me to lessen my training when you reach your later stages."

 

Harley looked hesitant, but he bobbed his head nonetheless. "Okay."

 

Harith smiled. He was about to lead Harley to their bedroom, but caught sight of Harley's wrist. He stopped the mage midway and steered him to the kitchen.

 

"Harith?" Harley asked, confused on why he was leading him to the kitchen.

 

"Before I give you a back massage, let's bandage that wrist of yours," Harith clarified, searching for the first aid kit. "I don't want you to end up making it worse."

 

Harley stared at his wrist for a long time. "I'm sorry."

 

"No, it's okay," Harith said, shaking his head. He gently wrapped a bandage around the mage's wrist, careful not to tie it too tight. "I blame myself for this. _I'm_ sorry for making you upset just now. I was just really mad at myself for allowing Mason to touch you."

 

Harley abruptly frowned. "It's not your fault," he mumbled, before he looked up thoughtfully. "But what happened to Mason anyway? Apart from him being close to death."

 

"They just kept him in a cell," Harith answered. He didn't like the fact that he had to wait for the judges to figure out what to do with him. If it was him, he would've beat him to death. But they had to follow the law, and, that meant, he couldn't do as he pleased. However, even though he couldn't kill Mason, he still smiled. "But that's okay. He must've thought that he would be sent to prison. Luckily, I don't think that's going to happen."

 

Harley tilted his head, his brows furrowing. "What do you mean?"

 

"Oh, I don't know..." Harith said, inspecting Harley's bandaged wrist. Without Harley noticing, a sinister smile appeared on his face. "I just have a feeling that Mason is going to regret not letting me finish him. Because, something much, much worse is going to get him."

 

" _Please_ ," Harley said, rolling his eyes. "What could possibly be worse than you beating him up like that? You almost crippled him."

 

Harith smiled.

 

_Lesley Vance._

**Author's Note:**

> writing harley emotional is just my thing ok
> 
> it's the reason why i love writing him pregnant HAHAHAHAHA
> 
> hope you guys still enjoyed it tho


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